Gautam Gambhir and Gary Kirsten go a long way. The duo now might be on opposite ends as they coach India and Sri Lanka, respectively. But there is mutual respect involved, considering the former South Africa opening batter’s role with Team India back in the day. Kirsten was the Indian coach, and under his tenure, India had famously won the 50-over World Cup in 2011. Gambhir had often cited how Kirsten helped him as a player, and hence it was not surprising to see the duo chatting away on the sidelines of the Galle Test, which the visitors won by 165 runs on Wednesday.
The duo were all smiles as they spoke, and Kirsten finally lifted the lid on what they were talking about on Wednesday. The current Sri Lanka coach said that the duo spoke about coaching and the challenges that come with it.
Moreover, the two also spoke about the values of Test cricket and how the duo would want their teams to play in the format.
“We didn’t do much reminiscing; we actually spoke about coaching and the challenges of coaching, and we both have strong values around Test cricket. So we had a good conversation around that, obviously trying to help our players play the best cricket they can, in both countries, Kirsten told reporters in the post-match press conference.
“So we spoke about that, and I think we have very similar ideas about how we want our teams to play Test cricket. So yeah, we had a good conversation about that,” he added.
While Gambhir took over as the India head coach in July 2024, Kirsten was named as the Sri Lanka coach earlier this year, taking over from Sanath Jayasuriya.
More about Gambhir and Kirsten
Before the series between India and Sri Lanka began, Kirsten had also publicly backed Gambhir amid criticism surrounding India’s Test results. He described his former player as an excellent coach and pointed to his achievements as evidence of his capabilities.
“He has won a T20 World Cup and the ICC Champions Trophy. He’s also had success in the IPL. His record speaks for itself. I really enjoyed working with him when he was a player,” Kirsten had said.
“He’s a smart cricketer, and I knew he’d have success as a coach,” he added.
After the loss against South Africa in the two-match series last year, there was a lot of pressure on Gambhir for the below-par results in Tests. The side faces an uphill battle to reach the final of the ongoing WTC cycle and must win six of their remaining eight matches to have any chance.
However, India’s performance in Galle has provided a timely response, with the visitors controlling the Test and eventually going 1-0 up. The second Test between the two teams is slated to begin on August 23 in Colombo.
